At-Home Strategies to Teach Your Struggling Student
For procrastinators, chunking is a useful strategy for breaking down large assignments into smaller, easier-to-tackle tasks. Read more ›
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Helping Your Child Forge Friendships
While every parent hopes that his child will fit in and be accepted, making friends is not easy for all children. Read more ›
Is Your Child a Slow Reader or Are They Dyslexic?
Sara swept her vibrant red hair out of her face as she smiled up at me, clearly pleased with herself and seeking praise for the fact that she had completed her reading beautifully. What a change from the tentative reader I had met one year earlier. Read more ›
Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say
You’re standing at the grocery checkout counter, and your son asks for the M&Ms. You say, “No.” He asks again a little louder and you say, “No.” He starts whining. You repeat, “No.” He starts pulling on your sleeve and screaming at the top of his lungs. Everyone is looking at you.
“Okay, just this once,” you relent, and throw the bag of M&Ms onto the checkout counter. You’re relieved that the embarrassment has stopped, but what have you taught him in the long run? Read more ›
Steps to Help Your Delayed Talker
You have a lot of titles as a parent: short order cook, chauffeur, personal assistant, maid. Are you also your toddler’s ever-present translator? No, she’s pointing at the yogurt hiding behind the milk gallon. Well, she’s screaming because you handed her a purple cup and she only drinks out of green cups.
It’s easy for you to navigate through these situations to avoid the tantrums and frustrations because you know your child’s preferences and you know she doesn’t have strong communication skills. You can respond to points, grunts and cries, but are you really helping her by swiftly taking the path of least resistance? How can you teach her the communication skills she needs to be independent and thrive? Read more ›
Your Distracted Young Learner
Is your child struggling with the same behavior challenges in school without making progress? Does he or she have ADHD-like symptoms?
You’ve just received a report from the teacher saying that Derrick had another bad week – he was too distracted to complete his work, he constantly interrupted the teacher, and he continues to bug the kids around him. You’ve talked to the teacher until you’re blue in the face and time outs just aren’t effective. What do you do? Read more ›
How Creative Play Builds Critical Reading Comprehension Skills
More and more parents understand the importance of reading to young children to promote literacy. Yet many parents are so eager to advance their child’s reading fluency that they neglect the importance of imaginative play in developing critical comprehension skills. So before you start to pack up the picture books and encourage your young child to read Harry Potter, make sure he’s getting plenty of opportunity to play.
Why is play important and what kind of play develops the foundation for literacy skills? Read more ›
Fidgeting to Help Your Child
“She won’t sit still at the dinner table.” “He pulls his sister’s hair and provokes her when I’m driving.” “He wants to crash into everything.”
Wiggly, squiggly kids are challenged to conform to standards that are socially acceptable and keep them safe. Yet fidgeting for them is purposeful. In fact, we all must fidget a little bit to keep ourselves alert. Without movement, our arousal system goes down. Think about sitting perfectly still for 30 minutes without some kind of shifting. You’ll likely be challenged.
For children with sensory challenges, simply saying, “Stop fidgeting!” or “Keep your hands to yourself” is unlikely to help. Your child needs movement. The question is: How can you allow your child to move and behave in a socially acceptable manner? Read more ›
Managing Holiday Stress
Grandma lovingly says, “Just let her have a cookie!” Uncle Ted disapprovingly says, “You need to let him do things; you’re smothering him.” Aunt Rosa wonders why the kids are allowed to stay up so late, when “everyone” knows children need ten hours of sleep.
Getting together with relatives can be exciting and yet traveling, preparation and criticism about your parenting can cause stress. You and your kids might look forward to a break from homework and schedules, but the loss of routine can also be disruptive.
Taking care of yourself and managing holiday stress can be the biggest gift you give your family. Read more ›
Parenting a Child Who Feels Entitled
Trying to raise a child in Silicon Valley can be tough-not only because of the academic pressures and the current economy, but because of the wide diversity of social pressures. Read more ›
